SENSED AT THE CAPITAL.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11811, 21 December 1912, Page 5

SENSED AT THE CAPITAL.

(By Telegraph.) (Special to the Oamaru Mail.) "Wellington, December 20. A CRYPTIC EVASION. It is ii truism that .the average colonial is not lost for an answer in an emergency. Speaking at a smoke concert, one of the New South. AVales teachers remarked: "I was very much surprised when I got into a tramcar here to be charged twopence for myself and threepence for my bag. I had put it carefully under the seat, where 1 thought no one would see it, but the conductor saw it. I asked him why I had to pay twopence for myself and threepence for my bag. His answer was illuminative: 'Perhaps your bag is sober.' said the conductor.''

THE " HANDY MAN." The haudin;ss of his Majesty's saiiormen was well proved yesterday at Government Buildings. Just before the Governor was sworn in, a young member of the Cambrian's crew was making ready to hoist the flag that would signal to the warship .that the ceremony had concluded and that the salute could be fired. Inadvertently the halyards slipped and ran up to the top of the pole. There was only one thing to do—to climb up the pole and clear the rope ai the top. Without the slightest hesitation, the young fellow climbed the twenty-five or .thirty feet of the slender flagstaff which was swaying in. half a gale of wind, put the halyards in order, and slid down again, just in time to give the signal. It was a feat that required nerve and resolution.

RAILWAY MANAGEMENT DEFINED. British aspirants for the onerous position of manager of the New Zealand railways are receiving reasonably informative facts from the High Commissioner. A circular, after mentioning the 14,000 hands employed and the -invested capital of £32,000,000, states: "The policy in railway management .? determined by the Government and is communicated to itho general manager through the Minister of Railways, who is the supreme hsad of the department, but who directs the policy only. The general manager exercises administrative control in respect to the operation of' the lines. He would thus make recommendations to the Minister regarding the fixing of rates and charges and wages payable to the railway staff andi the general conditions governing its (employment, efficiency and economy in management are declared to be. the essentials. TJie closing of the receipt of applicants is indeterminate."